


Broken Promises

by Natasja



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/M, More tags to come as the story progresses, The Isle of the Lost is not a nice place, United States of Auradon (Disney) Is Not Perfect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 08:41:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21407368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natasja/pseuds/Natasja
Summary: Once Upon a Time, Hades demanded something in exchange for bringing the Villains back to life. The yet-unborn Prince Ben would be betrothed to the daughter that Hades would sire, as an assurance that the former Beast would keep his promise of an alliance with Hades.Sixteen years later, with no word of any daughter of Hades, Auradon thought they were safe, and reluctantly agreed to Prince Ben's proposal to bring four children from the Isle of the Lost.Mal didn't come to Auradon for a wand; she had bigger goals, and bigger grudges.A darker, more realistic take on Auradon, because the effects of trauma doesn't fade overnight, and accountability doesn't vanish because someone else says sorry on your behalf.
Relationships: Adam/Belle (Disney), Ben/Mal (Disney: Descendants)
Comments: 75
Kudos: 427





	1. Prologue

Long ago, the land of Auradon was beset by war.

Finally, one ruler began to rise above the rest: Adam, ruler of a Principality that had been isolated from the world while he toiled under an enchantment. Now that he had been freed by Belle, a young peasant woman of fierce intelligence and cunning, who had seen past his hideous form to the man beneath, their isolation proved a blessing, for it allowed them an edge over the tired, resource-strained populations of other kingdoms.

  
Realising that true peace would not be won by force, the former Beast sought council with the god Hades, Ruler of the Underworld. Bitter over his defeat, brought about by his opponents deliberately breaking the deals they made, Hades mused that nothing had brought the Olympians (who barely tolerated each other on a good day) together like a common foe. Whether it was the Titans, or Hades himself, the Olympians had united against them.

For the Kingdoms of Auradon to unite, they need something, or someone, to stand against.

The Prince went away and consulted with his clever wife, and with the Dowager Queen Leah, a recent ally. Leah held a grudge against the Wild Fae Maleficent, who had punished the royal family for their deliberate slighting of her. Maleficent had fallen at the hand of Leah’s new son-in-law, but the Dowager Queen held that to be insufficient. She suggested that they seek the aid of Hades, and bring back the Villains who had plagued Auradon in times past, and imprison them, as a constant danger for the Kingdoms to guard against.

* * *

Hades cared little for the troubles of mortal kings, but the Prince who was once a Beast tempted him with the idea of a High Kind to whom even the Olympians must listen (if not obey). Someone who could tell the gods to pull their weight in the world or have their worship banned, who could command an apology for the way they had treated him, pushing Hades to see a coup as not just desirable, but necessary. It wasn’t as though Hades liked dealing with the shades of Villains who didn’t let a trifiling thing like being dead stop them from constantly plotting revenge.

Hades agreed… but added a stipulation. Princess Belle was pregnant, and the Keeper of Souls knew that it would be a boy, who the Fates claimed would become a great King. This future prince would be betrothed to the next-born daughter of Hades, to seal their bargain with more than words. Certain that he could find a way around this condition, Prince Adam agreed.

And so Hades allowed an Isle near Auradon’s coast, with a hidden entrance to the Underworld, to be used for this purpose, and planned for the moment that this arrogant Prince either tried to betray him, or allowed others to do so.

When Persephone, daughter of Demeter, next came to visit her secret husband, she brought news. Still angry over their near-defeat (abject defeat until wonder boy showed up), they intended to condemn Hades to the Isle of the Lost. Persephone had loudly objected, for all that she was only a minor goddess, and her mother had sent her away. Persephone intended to stay gone, as substitute ruler of the underworld, until someone saw sense. But life could not grow in the Underworld, and as long as Persephone was there, Hades would have no daughter by her.

With Persephone’s knowledge and consent, Hades sought out the fairy Maleficent, who had become the leader of those Villains who had been brought back and gave her a daughter to raise. And the daughter of Maleficent young Malpomeli must be, for Hades had no doubt that the Beast King would be searching for a daughter of Hades, and would have no good intentions if he found her.

And life continues, as it did in a different universe, until the fateful day when a young soon-to-be King made his first proclamation, and the world changed.


	2. Chapter One

Mal grew up knowing three things: the power of a secret, the value of a promise, and that love and family were what you made of them.

How could she not? Half-fae and the child of a god who never broke his word (though he was quite adept at working around promises), she had been taught the importance of never giving your word lightly since before she could walk. As soon as she was old enough to understand why it was important to keep her mouth shut, Maleficent had told her the truth of her birth, dispelling any delusions about her parents wanting a child for the sake of a child, or actually feeling affection for each other, and why no-one else could know the truth. Mal had no siblings, but Evie, Jay and Carlos were dearer to her than blood.

Besides, Maleficent and Hades might not have cared about each other romantically, but no-one could watch them sass and snap at each other and not immediately think that it looked like flirting. Of course, anyone with a basic sense of self-preservation knew better than to mention that at least it was a union of equals, unlike most parental couples on the isle. Mal's step-mother, who came to the edge of the barrier to talk with her husband every day of spring (honestly the only way to mark the passing of years on the grey, desolate Isle), found it amusing, but she was the only one who dared.

Mal was known as the daughter of Maleficent, but she knew herself to also be Malpomeli, daughter of Hades, named for the Tragedy that she would one day heal. One day, she would be Queen of Auradon, with the power to reverse the damage inflicted by the Beast-King. It was a heavy burden, but one she was proud to bear.

* * *

Her mother said that a true ruler needed no one but themselves, but her father warned her not to alienate potential allies. Not until you no longer needed them or needed someone to throw under the proverbial bus, anyway. You didn't have to be friendly with them, but there was no point in making enemies just because you could. 

Mal's strong will clashed with Uma's confidence, and the part of her that was Maleficent yearned to put the young sea-witch in her place. The part that was her subtle, cunning father prevailed, and Mal chose honeyed words and a promise. "We'd never get the entire Isle, or even just the kids, to get alone. Gangs are more manageable, each with our own territory, but allied."

Uma raised an eyebrow, not quite willing to bend so easily. "Under your leadership, of course?"

Mal didn't back down. "My mother doesn't care what I do from day to day. When yours relaxes her grip enough that you can run to deal with an emergency, we'll revisit the power structure."

So Uma ruled the docks, Altani the woods, Claudine the town, and Mal the Isle as a whole. It might not be the fancy diplomacy that Auradon Princesses learned, but it was far more real than anything a tutor could come up with, and fitting practice for the future. Diplomacy wasn't always successful, and a queen had to be ready to back up her decisions with force, if necessary.

* * *

On her sixteenth birthday, Mal dreamed.

She dreamed of a boy, with dark blonde hair and a sweet smile, who wore his kind heart on his sleeve for the world to trample and spit on. Persephone had told Mal of Prince Benjamin, what her betrothed looked like and how he acted, and the description fit. That didn't explain why Mal was dreaming about him now, though!

At least, not until the next day, when her mother informed her that she had been extended an invitation to go to Auradon, kindly don't spoil the surprise for the others, Maleficent didn't want to give the rest of her loose alliance any real opportunity to object.

Mal gathered the other leaders to inform them, and work out how things would run in her absence. Then she made a rare promise: that she would not forget them, and do her best to ensure that they followed her over as quickly as possible.

Next, she visited her father. Hades did not smile often, and claimed that he didn't _have_ a soft side, but his hand was gentle as he ran it over Mal's hair. "Your mother's magic will work in Auradon, at least for the little spells. Anyone looking for magic will notice it, though, and they've cracked down hard on that, Persephone tells me. _This_, however, they won't sense."

A blue stone encased in crystal, almost hidden in a twisted silver pendant, hung on a chain, easily hidden beneath Mal's clothing when Hades draped it around her neck. A chip off his Ember, his most treasured and well-guarded possession. Mal stared at her father, almost speechless. He pointedly didn't comment on the sentimentality of it all. "You're only half Hades; the ember won't do for you all that it does for me, but it will keep you safe and hidden from detection."

Mal wrapped her arms around her father, knowing that words would do nothing, and Hades handed her a thick letter. "For Persephone. Pray to her when you're alone, and she'll be able to come to you so you can pass it on."

Mal immediately resolved that she did not want to know what was in the letter. Why did people loose all sense when romance got involved? Bidding her father goodbye for the foreseeable future, Mal went to get rid of stress via graffiti, and locate the three friends who would be going with her.

Peace bred complacency. Auradon had no idea what was coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I forgot to put it in last chapter's notes, Mal's full name is a variant of Melpomele, the muse of Tragedy.   
For Disney fans, she's the tall one with the long bushy hair, who sings the third part of the prologue narrating Hercules post-kidnapping/potion.
> 
> BTW, if anyone can tell me a word for what, exactly, Ursula and Uma are, that would be great.


	3. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Auradon requires some adjusting. 
> 
> Luckily, the VKs are not without allies...

Mal seethed from the moment they entered the flashy car sent to bring them to Auradon.

So much food for a short car-ride, free of mould or rot, foods that none of them had ever even seen. Food that would take the four of them a year to consume, and most of which would simply be thrown out. Wasted, while the Isle of the Lost was starving, and children died of malnutrition!

A band, and what looked like the entirety of Auradon Prep waiting for their grand entrance, while their expressions made it more than obvious that very few of them were actually enthusiastic about the new additions to their ranks. The Crown Prince (her future husband) was easy to identify, an earnest, hopeful look in his eyes, as though he genuinely wanted to fix what his parents’ generation had done. Horribly naieve of him, but also promising.

Perhaps this whole betrothal thing wasn’t completely horrible.

The girl beside him, hanging off his arm despite Ben’s obvious lack of reciprocation, was a very different story. Mal had to consciously stop herself from gritting her teeth before the girl even spoke, “_Princess_ Audrey. His girlfriend.”

Mal had never had much tolerance for posturing, especially when the person trying to promote themselves had nothing to back it up. Audrey was no different to the minor villains who thought being an adult made them deserving of respect, or the guards who thought that taking orders from a so-called hero made their casual abuse of children acceptable. The only difference between Mal’s reaction now and those in the past was that Audrey would probably have Mal arrested and sent back to the Isle if the future Queen put Audrey in her place physically.

Verbal set-down it was to be, then. “His girlfriend? I would have expected you to be betrothed by now, at your age.”

Audrey deflated, though one would have had to be watching closely to catch it. Mal smiled as sweetly as she could bear, and waited until Ben turned his attention to Jay. “You’ll have to introduce me to the future queen when she arrives.”

The princess hissed, to Mal’s amusement, her pretty face twisted in anger, “No one knows who Prince Ben’s betrothed is! Even if she was here, why would she be interested in you?”

Mal laughed softly, “Then your parents left you woefully uneducated. Of course, since you’ll never be more than a flirtatious pastime…”

It was a pity that Ben re-joined them at that point, and Mal slid her hand into the crook of his arm, as though he were escorting her into a ball, just to see if it made Audrey spontaneously combust. It was fortunate that Ben lead the way inside, before Audrey could make a (futile) attempt at scratching Mal’s eyes out.

To Ben’s credit, he didn’t allow Audrey to drag him away, despite her attempts, although he did honour the rule about no boys being allowed in the girls’ rooms. Mal’s fingers twitched toward her ember shard as soon as she stepped inside. Lace and frills and glamour photos of princesses, most in nauseating shades of pink. Evie looked like she wanted to go into raptures over the quality of the fabric (the only thing that stopped Mal from setting the bed canopy on fire). She mentally begged for patience instead… and jumped when a familiar voice came from behind her. “This looks like Aphrodite’s receiving room for people she doesn’t like.”

Mal briefly dropped to one knee, then ran into her Stepmother’s welcoming arms. Persephone had held her arms out the same way, every time they saw each other over the past sixteen years, but the barrier had always separated them. Persephone smelled like… scents Mal didn’t have the experience to name, but brought to mind the occasional dandelion that occasionally showed it’s face on the Isle, green and growing, even in the bleakness that was the Isle.

Persephone stroked her hair, and Mal eventually pulled away. “Mother wants us to steal the wand and bring down the barrier, but even I can tell that while not everyone deserves to be there, a lot of the Villains earned their fate. Can you do something to protect it?”

Somewhere behind her, Evie gasped, “Mal!”

Mal tried not to roll her eyes, “You think that any prince will come near you with her hovering about? Our mothers are bad enough when they’re bickering with each other, the last thing anyone needs is for them to team up armed with actual power!”

Evie paused, acknowledging the point. “Then we’d better find a way of staying in Auradon and bringing the other kids over, because blackmailing us with their lives is totally a possibility.”

That had been on Mal’s list anyway, so it was easy for her to nod in agreement. “Let’s hunt down the boys and start planning. Oh, Dad gave me this for you…”

She handed Persephone the envelope, and her stepmother’s smile was like the sun coming out. “Thank you, Malpomeli. If you need anything, pray and I’ll answer. Oh, and don’t use the Ember until you’re ready to reveal yourself. It has… visible effects.”

Maleficent’s eyes glowed green when she exerted her will. Hades… Mal groaned. “At least tell me I won’t have ashes where my hair used to be!”

The Queen of the Underworld laughed, and waved her hand, turning the room from an abundance of pink to more natural shades of what Evie would later describe as lavender and periwinkle, the lines cleaner and the curtains heavy enough that they wouldn’t be woken at the crack of dawn. She kissed Mal on the forehead. “Remember, your bodies need to adjust to the amount and quality of food you’ll be getting. If you plan on sending things back to the Isle, go for packaged and non-perishables.”

She vanished in a swirl of flower petals, and the girls looked at each other, before going to find the other half of their gang.

There was work to do, and if their time in Auradon turned out to be limited, Mal had no intention of wasting it.

* * *

Ben blinked in surprise when Mal asked for a way to communicate with the Isle, but didn’t object when Mal explained that she had friends that she wanted to check on. “It might take a day or two in order to get there, but I’ll find something and bring a parcel that you can send by courier.”

Jay objected when Mal confiscated one of the technological devices he had stolen off some Prince who probably hadn’t even noticed that it was missing, but shut up when she told him why. He returned to the dorm that night laden down with canned and preserved food from the kitchen, to add to what they had brought up from the cafeteria. Mal clasped him on the shoulder; they had never needed words to convey what they meant.

Carlos frowned as they wrapped the individual items into packages for each recipient. “Who do we send it to? You know that if Mom gets her hands on this, there’s no chance of it getting to anyone else.”

It was a good point. The Beast King wasn’t likely to allow through anything addressed to Hades, either. Mal thought a moment. “Freddie and Celia. They deal in favours, and pass pretty much anywhere. They’ll make sure everything gets where it needs to go.”

Ben didn’t question it, when Mal brought the package to him the next day, just peeked inside and handed it to a courier. “I tried to send better food that way when I was a kid, but I couldn’t buy enough, and Dad put a stop to it. Said that even a king has to pick and chose what to support and what can wait.”

Huh, maybe that explained why Mal and her gang hadn’t suffered the extreme malnutrition that plagued most of the Isle kids. Just sending stuff to the Isle on goblin-manned barges practically assured that it would end up in Maleficent’s hands. Maybe some would go to the pirates, if they were quick.

Mal hated to agree with the Beast King on anything, but he hadn’t been entirely wrong. Ben did need someone to balance his determination to help everyone with practicality and allocation of resources. Quietly, Mal groaned to herself; Ben was making it far too easy for her to like him.

* * *

Three days later, after a supremely frustrating Remedial Goodness class and an introduction to Fairy Godmother's daughter, who Carlos watched with eyes that were half terrified and half fascinated, Mal's iPad screen lit up with an incoming call.

She nearly fell over her own feet, scrambling to retrieve it, and her father's face filled the screen, Celia peering over his shoulder.

Mal smiled, and settled in to talk until a knock on the door heralded Ben's voice asking her to join the rest of them for dinner.

Hades looked entirely too pleased about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the Feels hit (not really), but I wanted to explore how it might go if Mal and the others had an adult who was genuinely on their side, rather than making the best of things like Fairy Godmother.
> 
> One of the biggest problems I had with Descenants 2 was that the VKs had basically left all of the other Isle kids behind on the Isle, which... yeah, not good. So, here they are doing their best, with a supportive Ben in tow.


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and the VKs talk. It goes about as well as anticipated.

The rest of Mal’s gang were waiting for them in the cafeteria, which in real terms meant that they were sitting at an otherwise empty table with the Auradon students keeping what they considered a safe distance.

_(Less safe than they thought. Mal had been able to throw knives twice that distance since she was four.)_

Ben confined himself to a disappointed look at his future subjects, and sat between Carlos and the wall, so Audrey couldn’t muscle in and demand that he come sit with her. Mal chose the seat across from him, and pointedly ignored the princess stamping her foot in the background. Ben very visibly cast around for something to talk about. “I hope you’re settling in all right?”

Jay shrugged, “For being dumped in the middle of stuff we’re used to seeing broken beyond repair and people who are way more cheerful about life than I’m used to, sure.”

Evie smiled demurely, with just a hint of poison, “We do apologise for upsetting Princess Audrey with the mention of your betrothal.”

Even more pointedly, Mal ignored the princess in question storming away to a table on the far side of the cafeteria. Ben waved the apology away. “The older generation is reluctant to talk about it, even to me. She was probably more surprised than anything.”

Carlos gingerly tasted the casserole in front of him, then dug in with an enthusiasm rarely seen toward cafeteria food. “I’m more surprised that you _didn’t_ know. Most of the gangs on the Isle grew up knowing about it.”

Ben blinked lightly. “Why?”

Evie delicately buttered a roll, as graceful as though she were at a state dinner. “Hope that one day we’d get off the Isle and away from our parents, mostly.”

Ben’s attention flickered between her and Carlos, then back to Mal. “Why is… never mind. Well, can you tell me? It’s really awkward not knowing that I’m supposed to marry in a matter of years, but not who.”

Mal shrugged, eyes widening as she ate a strawberry. Jay moved his tray out of her reach when she eyed the berries on his plate speculatively. Mal controlled her expression and returned her focus to Ben. “When the Beast-King… sorry, King Adam… brought the villains back to life to be imprisoned on the Isle, he needed help. Hades agreed on the condition that, so there would be no abuse of this power, the King’s newborn son would be married to Hades’s daughter.”

That brought a frown of confusion. “I looked through the records, Hades isn’t listed as having children.”

Jay waved a hand, as casual as if he wasn’t talking about people’s lives. “Well, he wouldn’t. Zeus is still holding a grudge over the Hercules fiasco, and most of the other villains would try to use it to their advantage. Or make sure it never happened at all. It’s not like the Isle has a low infant mortality rate.”

There was a clatter from behind them as someone forgot that the point of eavesdropping was to _not_ be noticed, and dropped their plate. Evie pretended not to have heard it. “Any children Hades had would have been named for their mothers, just in case. We’re only ever referred to as the child of one parent, after all, and He was always one for precautions.”

Ben’s jaw tightened. “Will you excuse me? I have some paperwork to attend to, I’ll come find you for dinner?”

* * *

Mal found Ben in his office, and announced her presence by setting his half-finished plate down in front of him. “The food here is way better than the Isle, but that doesn’t make skipping meals a good idea.”

Ben smiled at her, halfway through a drafting a letter to various medical schools “suggesting” that they should consider adding the Isle of the Lost to their list of Rural practicum locations, as soon as the new clinic was completed and stocked. The order for that was already signed and sealed and waiting for delivery. “Thanks. I’m glad you told me about the betrothal, too, even if I now have a new set of worries about if his firstborn is a boy, or an infant. There’s a precedent for breaking betrothals on the grounds of incompatibility.”

Mal laughed. “I don’t think that will be a problem, though you’ll understand if I don’t tell you who they are right away.”

Ben nodded, “I understand, you need to make sure you can trust me, among other things. Can you give me a hint?”

Mal sighed. “A lot of people won’t like it, and you definitely need to figure out what to do about Audrey before you find out your betrothed’s name. It isn’t fair to string her along when you know nothing will happen between you.”

Ben pulled a face, “You’re right, but the House of the Rose isn’t lightly crossed. It’s why I agreed when Audrey decided she wanted to date me.”

Mal shrugged. “Then give up your crown to them and she can order you to marry her, if avoiding a political temper tantrum is more important than your goals. No ruler can please everyone, and sometimes you need to remind your nobles exactly who is in charge.”

Ben winced, and Mal almost felt bad, but it needed to be said. She had no love for Audrey, but raising false hopes, especially when there wasn’t even any mutual feeling behind it, wasn’t fair on anyone. Besides, Mal had enough trouble without borrowing more, especially from her mother’s hereditary enemies.

Ben had excellent intentions, but he was so busy trying to please everyone, believe the best of people who wanted something, that he was doomed to fail without someone to balance him out. Of course, that was a Consort’s job; to support and balance out the monarch. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

Ben sighed. “You’re right, but it’s not going to be pretty. If breaking up with Audrey ends with someone finding my mutilated body, I’m blaming you.”

Mal couldn’t help a smile. “I’m sure Hades could be prevailed upon to send you back.”

He laughed, a surprisingly attractive sound. “Can’t have me jilting his unknown daughter, after all.”

Why did that make her want to blurt out everything? Mal’s smile was a little more forced this time, and she quickly left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, I love Ben, but his attitude to try and please everyone with the expectation that they'll all get along if he asks nicely... not a practical attitude for a future ruler, especially when we're talking about his first decree and how seriously anyone takes him as future King.  
Mal isn't used to breaking things gently, so it's a little bit of tough, but necessary, love on her part. She wants Ben to succeed, so she won't sugarcoat things for him the way others would.


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The VKs are making friends. Mal doesn't need a love-spell, even if they weren't ridiculously unreliable and far too easy to break.
> 
> Not everyone has Mal's common sense and work ethic.

Jane, Fairy Godmother’s daughter, was desperately lonely and even more desperate for attention. Mal provided the solution to both, and gained a devoted follower who looked at Carlos with soft, doe-like eyes when she thought he wasn’t looking. Lonnie, Mulan’s daughter, was… nice, and smarter than she first seemed, but was blinded by her own experiences and the belief that everyone had the same idyllic life she grew up with.

Jay and Carlos were thriving on the tourney field, Evie was discovering that some men found intelligence attractive, and Ben had broken up with Audrey. He had attempted to keep it quiet and private. The Princess had other ideas, and followed him until she could stage a loud screaming fight, first with Ben, and then with Mal, who arrived with a group of other students to see what all the yelling was about.

It didn’t help Audrey’s case that both targets of her ire calmly waited until she had to pause to catch her breath, then walked away as though she were a child throwing a tantrum.

Ben had retained enough sense that he didn’t immediately ask Mal out afterward, even though everyone with eyes realised that he wanted to. Mal wasn’t concerned; he probably would, once things calmed down, and if her heritage came out before then, the Auradon Prep rumour mill had made sure that Ben’s betrothal was common knowledge, even if his future wife’s identity wasn’t.

Right now, Mal was sitting with Jane and Evie in their room, with the door and curtains shut. Jane sat on Mal’s bed, eyes closed and breathing deeply. “Now, reach inside yourself and find your magic.”

Silver sparkles glowed faintly in the air around Jane’s head. She gasped and her eyes flew open. The sparks faded, but Jane still beamed. “That felt amazing!”

She promptly swayed and slumped to the side. Evie caught her before Jane could fall off the bed entirely. “Your body isn’t used to it yet. It takes time to build up endurance.”

Jane’s face darkened. “Fat chance of that. Mom wouldn’t even teach me this much.”

Mal patted her shoulder. “Well, you’re learning now.”

Jane looked at her like the near-goddess that she technically was. “Believe me, I’ll owe you more than I can say for that.”

They sat in silence for a few moments, before Jane remembered something. “Oh, by the way, Mom says that she has a surprise for you tomorrow, since you can’t participate in Family Day the same way as the other students.”

Evie raised an eyebrow, opening the door to Carlos and Jay. “What’s Family Day?”

Jane pulled a face. “Parents come to visit, there’s usually some kind of performance, and I am yet again reminded that I don’t exist except to be useful in the background.”

Carlos grimaced, “That sounds familiar… although for me, Mom not noticing my existence is usually a good thing.”

* * *

Mal was rudely woken the next morning, well before sunrise, by the door banging open, heralding the appearance of her very flustered allies. Years of instinct kicked in, and Mal threw back the covers, instantly awake and alert. “What happened?”

Jane drew a deep breath, closing the door behind her. “We were sneaking down to the kitchens for a midnight snack, and saw Audrey in there. She said she was stress-baking, but she was on a Skype call with her fairy godmothers, and I could feel the magic being used. I can’t say the specifics for sure, but I’m certain it was some kind of love spell.”

Evie, now also awake, blinked. “How?”

Jane shrugged. “The incantation was something to do with attracting the one her heart wished for. I’m descended from a powerful line of Wish-granters, even if I know jack-all about being one myself.”

Lonnie interjected, eyes flashing, “The relevant point is, how do we break it? Ben doesn’t deserve to be trapped just because Audrey can’t stand being told ‘no’, the brat!”

Mal and Evie were already reaching for their mothers’ gifts. Mal flicked through the pages, finding plenty of love potions, but few antidotes. “Well, the good news is that spells are easier to break than potions. Being wish-based, if Ben has his heart set on someone else, he’ll be able to resist, to an extent.”

That was a little reassuring, at least. Evie found a solution first, searching first for the spell, and then for a counter. “Audrey can re-enforce the spell with a kiss, but a kiss from someone the bespelled loves will break it. I don’t know if it will prevent her from casting it again.”

Mal scrambled for her bag, searching for a specific item. She emerged with a pendant on a long chain, holding it tightly against her heart. “_Ensnaring vines, torn apart, protect my prince from spells on his heart._”

The pendant, an image of clasped hands that Mal would have one day presented to Ben as an engagement gift anyway, glowed briefly, a bright green that matched the power in Mal’s eyes. “It’s not a perfect solution, but it will do for now. The only problem is that we have to wait for Audrey to cast the spell before we can break it, otherwise suspicion will fall on us.”

The nervous energy in the room faded, and Jane yawned widely. “Well, here’s a wish that Audrey doesn’t hunt us down in our sleep.”

Evie snickered quietly, climbing out of her own bed and slipping into Mal’s. “You can stay here. These beds would fit three or four, never mind you two.”

The Isle girls were asleep before the Auradon pair could respond, but honestly, it was better than attempting to sneak back to their rooms with Audrey looking for them. Shrugging, they climbed into Evie’s abandoned bed, still warm from her body heat. Tomorrow was Family Day, after all, and that would be exhausting enough.

* * *

Ben was fawning over Audrey at breakfast, but his movements were jerky, almost puppet-like, and she kept having to prompt him.

The other students were shooting him looks, ranging from curious to confused to suspicious. Mal wasn’t foolish enough to cause a public confrontation where Audrey could deflect blame onto her in front of an audience, so she gritted her teeth and bided her time. Thankfully, Ben wasn’t one to linger over his food. “Excuse me Audrey, I have paperwork to finish.”

Audrey pouted, but didn’t offer to go with him. “At least kiss me goodbye first!”

Mal felt every muscle tense as Ben leaned down, but he turned his head at the last moment, so that Audrey’s lips landed on his cheek, and left before Audrey could do more than scowl in thwarted frustration. Mal smirked, and waited another five minutes before she slipped out, following the Prince to his office.

* * *

Something was wrong, but his brain went foggy whenever he tried to focus on it, and his head started to hurt.

Ben gave up on trying to focus on his never-ending stack of paperwork and went to stand at his window, staring out with a furrowed brow. He turned when the door opened, spotting Mal in the reflecting surface before she cleared her throat, but Mal didn’t give him a chance to speak before she invaded his personal space. “Don’t stab me.”

“Wha – mmph.” Questions, and the ability to think at all, fled his mind the second Mal’s lips pressed against his. The befuddlement that had clouded his mind over the morning vanished, and he felt like his mind was his own again. His arms came up to wrap around Mal’s waist, pulling her closer as he kissed her back.

When they parted, Ben wanted to fall to his knees and thank Mal profusely, not just for discovering what was wrong, but for working out a way to free him. Perhaps something complimentary about the chance to kiss her at all, since any suggestion of True Love’s Kiss would probably send her running for the hills. He opened his mouth, but the intended words wouldn’t come. “Why on earth would you think I’d stab you?”

He might have pushed her away, under the thrall of the love spell, but Ben had never raised a hand in violence, especially not to a girl who had doubtless experienced enough of it. Mal merely shrugged, but didn't leave the circle of his arms as Ben tried not to shake and break down like he desperately wanted to. Mal was speaking, and Ben forced himself to concentrate on that. “Consent doesn’t mean much when you’re on a confined Isle with people who think boundaries exist to be ignored. Stabbing someone who touched you against your will gets the message across much more effectively.”

How was it that every time Ben thought he understood how bad things were on the Isle, the VKs revealed something worse as nothing more than a fact of life they had been forced to live with? Ben almost wished that his parents had been here to witness it. Perhaps proof of the suffering they had enabled would get his father to back off.

Mal mis-read his silence and lifted her shirt, revealing a jagged scar that had to come from a knife-wound. “Uma has one to match, but it was better than the alternative.”

Ben reached out to touch the scar, before thinking better of it when Mal tensed. “Uma?”

“Ursula’s daughter. We were allies – friends – for a time, until Ursula pushed too far into Mother’s territory. The punishment for trying to seduce an enemy to humiliate them was far less severe than what they would have done to us if our mothers thought we were ignoring their feud.” A flicker of sorrow flickered across her face, gone as quickly as it had appeared. “The fallout and insults ruined whatever bond we had, but at least no one lost anything vital.”

Footsteps approached in the hallway, and Mal quickly handed him something. “Wear it against your heart; it’ll protect you from further enchantments.”

She slipped out the door before he could respond, and Ben looked down at the pendant she’d handed him. The symbolism nudged a faint memory in his mind, but the bell to signal the beginning of classes rang, and Ben put it aside in favour of figuring out how to avoid Audrey. Confronting her on the matter could wait, at least until he knew that he wouldn’t lash out in anger.

The part of him that was the Beast’s son, rather than Belle’s, was raging, Ben’s tight control the only thing keeping it restrained. He didn’t want to let it lose.

Ben was better than that. He had to be.

He couldn't be the kind of King his father was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay, the middle part of the chapter has been giving me grief for months.  
I hope you enjoyed the peek into Ben's head. Next time, Family Day!


	6. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family day goes... differently. 
> 
> That doesn't mean it goes well.

Fairy Godmother’s “special surprise” was a video-chat with their parents.

Mal had no idea why anyone would consider that a treat.

Then again, Lonnie had been operating on the assumption that even Villains loved their kids and that even the Isle of the Lost had cookies. Jane still fell into that trap occasionally, not comprehending how any parent could fail to love their child. Both were improving and getting better about recognising when to drop a conversation topic, but it was a work in progress.

The “treat” went about as well as the VKs expected, managing to dim even Fairy Godmother’s legendary enthusiasm and conviction in all things good. Of course, perhaps that had something to do with Maleficent insulting her four different ways in half as many minutes, but Mal wasn’t touching that. Instead, she gave Fairy Godmother her best attempt at a tremulous smile. “Thank you for the good intentions, but do you mind if we call our friends, instead?”

Jay twitched a little – the word ‘friends’ had very different connotations on the Isle – but thankfully no-one noticed as Fairy Godmother nodded her permission. “Just make sure you join the other students when the other families arrive after lunch.”

They agreed, though they definitely weren’t looking forward to it, and borrowed Ben, Lonnie and Jane on the way to Mal and Evie’s room.

* * *

Freddie and Anthony, Altani, and Uma and Harry were gathered in Freddie’s shop, clustered around the screen.

Lonnie waved from her position at the back of the crowd. “It’s nice to meet their friends.”

Anthony’s eyes flashed in anger, beating Harry by about half a second, “You watch your mouth!”

Lonnie, Jane and Ben only looked confused, and Mal sighed. “Different meaning of the word here. Friends mean Allies in Auradon, and no-one will tell me what they call the kind of person we call ‘friend’ on the Isle.”

A flicker of something crossed Ben’s face, “On the Isle, what does ‘friend’ mean, so I can avoid using it.”

Altani shrugged, “Someone with power over you, who can use you as they want, because ‘friends’ don’t refuse to help friends.”

Lonnie scowled darkly, “I have several words for that kind of person, but all of them would get me in trouble.”

Uma leaned back in her seat. “So, will we be seeing you again any time soon?”

Evie pulled a face, “We aren’t doing anything that would give the Heroes an excuse to send us back, if that’s what you mean. The Coronation is on Friday, and after that we’ll have a stronger position to address the Council.”

Freddie raised an eyebrow, but didn’t get the chance to reply before a knock sounded on the door. Mal pulled a face, “We have to go make polite with the rest of the school. I’ll call you again later.”

* * *

The Chocolate Fountain was worth being on her best behaviour and having to walk around with a constant sweet smile. The reaction of Ben’s parents when they were introduced to her, desperately trying to hold onto their composed façade and clinging to manners as their defence, brought Mal very close to enjoying herself. Lonnie’s parents were doing a better job of not being openly dismayed at their daughter’s company, and Mal could only hope that Jay would have the sense to not mention their alliance with Altani.

Jane and Carlos were playing with Dude, and Evie was standing near the fountain in a new dress, pretending not to be amused at the number of Princesses who were torn between keeping their distance and coming closer to admire her handiwork. Stifling a laugh, Mal almost missed the older woman standing in her path. “Oh! Pardon me.”

The old woman’s eyes narrowed in a malicious glare that very nearly send Mal into a flashback of the last time her mother had lost her temper. “That’s a changed attitude. Or is it only my granddaughter you persecute?”

Mal blinked, undeniably confused. “Your Granddaughter?”

Audrey stepped out from behind the woman, smug and dripping with satisfied anticipation, and several pieces clicked into place in Mal’s brain. “That would make you Dowager Queen Leah, then. I’d appreciate if you left me alone, and I’ll extend the same courtesy.”

The Dowager sneered, as uncaring as her daughter was said to be compassionate. “Or what? What are you going to do, curse me?”

The smug expression vanished when Mal’s instinctive green-fire glare smoothed into cold, deadly calm. “No. I’m going to give you a gift.”

Queen Leah shuddered and jerked back, reminded of the last time someone of Maleficent’s line had used that phrase. Mal didn’t react as the Dowager tried to tug Audrey behind her. “You like to think of yourself as the heroes, the ones who can do no wrong. Now, I bless you with the clarity to see yourselves as others do, unbound by the shackles of fear or distance that previously kept them silent.”

The green light faded from her eyes, but purple flames blazed around and over her, dancing through her hair without burning. The watching Royals, who had been slowly drawing closer when there were no immediate ill effects, reversed their pace. Ben, running from where he had been talking with his parents before Doug sprinted to tell him what had been going on, stopped dead, several tiny hints falling into place.

Green fire had flared around Maleficent when she cast a curse, but never touched her. The way Mal looked now was far more reminiscent of another of the Isle of the Lost’s prisoners. One less villainous, but more powerful. One who currently laid no claim to a child of his own, but whose daughter Mal had refused to name.

Hades would have chosen someone powerful enough to be the equal of the God of the Dead to bear his child. Someone powerful enough to hide Ben’s promised bride in plain sight, and protect her from anyone who sought to do her harm. Maleficent didn’t share power, for all that she might give the illusion of doing so, but Mal had been raised to rule. Even if Ben’s betrothal was common knowledge, Mal spoke of the matter in far more real terms.

In a way, it was a relief. Ben hadn’t wanted to give his heart while his hand was promised to a stranger, but if both of them were given to the same person, it was no longer an issue. On the other hand, Mal’s revelation presented a whole new set of problems, even without the double-edged ‘blessing’ she had bestowed.

Then the world slipped sideways, and it no longer mattered.

* * *

_Well-intentioned, but foolish… Determined, but easily influenced._ A feeling that he somehow knew was Mal, attracted to him but wary of the trouble that would come by making it known. The VKs believed that he would try to shield them from the people who wanted them dead or imprisoned based on nothing but the parentage they had no say in, but doubted that he would succeed. Those still on the Isle were glad that he seemed intent on change, but scoffed at him as foolish – had he investigated the situation, rather than focussing on their parents, he would have known that the four children he brought over were capable of taking care of themselves, with others in far greater need.

His Auradon subjects were less charitable. Old scars cut deep. Many thought that the Isle of the Lost was no more than the Villains deserved, and bringing over children was a gateway step. Sure, no-one liked being poor and having their movement restricted, but was the suffering of a few soon-to-be adults worth risking the return of the Villains they feared? Maybe Villains didn’t make the best parents, but wasn’t that even more reason to leave them on the Isle where they belonged?

* * *

_Naïve_… a quiet jealousy that she had grown up in a way that allowed her to be so optimistic about parental affection that didn't leave scars and bruises. _Superficial_… was her friendship to be counted upon when put to a test? The VKs trusted her, but wondered if she truly understood what that trust meant.

* * *

Audrey felt small, and somehow twisted. _Spoiled brat_… a voice whispered in her mind._ Petty and cruel… how could she be Aurora’s daughter?_ Some felt pity for her future subjects, to endure a ruler who cared for the trappings of power while ignoring its responsibilities. Even more prayed that Auroria would be the only ones stuck bowing to her whims, and not all of Auradon.  
Jane and Lonnie and Ben thought of her with anger and distrust. She’d used a love spell on Ben because she wasn’t willing to let him go. Her own selfish desires meant more to her than Ben’s free will and autonomy. If Mal hadn’t broken the spell, what might she have forced Ben to do under her power.  
Ben’s mind shied away from the word, from dwelling too much on ‘what if’. The others had no such reservations. Audrey had ordered Ben to kiss, a voice that sounded like Mal hissed, the weight of Judgement and Condemnation falling like an anvil on her conscience. Love Spells were not consent, and even Villains looked at rapists with disgust.

* * *

King Adam had redeemed himself from the Beast he once was.

Or so he had thought.

He expected hatred from the Villains he had locked away, and had been deeply sceptical that their children were anything but copies of their parents. He’d known that Ben’s idea to extend a Pardon and the promise of freedom would bring nothing but trouble. Nothing important had gone mission or been burned to the ground – yet – but he was sure that it was only a matter of time.

The former Beast was shaken to realise that several dozen children considered him far more evil than the Villains he had imprisoned, and those Heroes and Royals who supported him in need of their own visit from the Enchantress.

It had been for the best, locking the Villains away as a symbol of what they could become if he – if they, the people of Auradon – strayed from the moral path. It had been necessary. Hadn’t it?

* * *

The green light that had enveloped the assorted royals faded slowly, and King Adam took a deep breath, ready to roar and order all of the Villain Children back to the Isle, then summon everyone with even a hint of power to turn the magical barrier into one of lead.

His breath caught in his throat at the sight of a hunched old woman in a ragged cloak, standing between him and the Isle Children, who were headed back inside at a respectable pace. An old terror, never quite forgotten even after all these years, froze him in place as the crone looked around, flowers blooming at her feet. “So proud of yourselves, and so unaware of how close you stand to the precipice. Have a care how you treat the less fortunate, before it comes back to bite you.”

She turned to leave, following Maleficent’s daughter inside. A myriad of brightly coloured blooms springing up from under her cloak as she passed, utterly ruining the carefully cultivated lawn. King Adam nearly collapsed into his wife’s arms, allowing her to lead him back to the Gazebo.

Ben could sort out the rattled royals. He needed the practice before Coronation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have opinions about Love Potions/Spells, as you may have guessed.  
It got handwaved away in Descendants, because Ben dispelled it in the Enchanted Lake almost immediately and was already in love with Mal/going through the motions with Audrey, but that doesn't make it right.  
Stopping the note here because otherwise it's going to turn into a pages-long rant, but... yeah. That Mal and the other VKs saw no problem in using a love potion to manipulate Ben made them believable as their parents' kids, raised without morals to do as they pleased, far more than anything else in the movie to that point.


	7. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal has no intention of freeing her mother. That doesn't mean she doesn't have plans for setting other people free...

* * *

  
Jay and Carlos retreated to their room, while Evie gravitated straight to her sewing table, blocking out the rest of the world. Mal sat down, then stood up again when there was a gentle knock at the door. She frowned in confusion at the figure who stood there. “Enchantress?”

Her step-mother pushed back the hood of her cloak, withered visage melting away to reveal the divine beauty. “No, but if it causes the King to take a good, hard look at himself and his actions…”

Mal smirked, firmly of the opinion that the Beast-King hadn’t changed as much as he thought he had. “I was about to call Dad, if you want to stay and talk.”

Persephone’s smile was like sunlight on a spring morning. “Gladly.” 

The skype session took only a few minutes to set up, and Hades answered in a matter of seconds. Mal smiled at her father through the computer screen, Persephone by her side. “I have a problem that I can’t solve by myself.”

Hades raised an eyebrow. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you admit it. Your gang can’t help?”

Mal shook her head. “Not enough, no. We’ve found some allies… but I don’t know that it will be enough.”

Persephone stroked a hand over her hair. “Tell us, then.”

Mal toyed with a lock of hair. “I tried a scrying spell. I wanted to see what would happen if Mother’s plan succeeded. I didn’t get that far, but I did See that on Coronation, someone will do something that will fracture the Barrier around the Isle.”

Hades nodded, and Persephone sighed. “I badgered the Fates. They weren’t very helpful, but they did say that Maleficent will break free, but her victory is not assured.”

Hades’s expression very clearly stated that he was impressed that she got even that much out of the notoriously secretive and unhelpful trio. “What is it you need from us, daughter?”

Mal took a deep breath. “I need you to find the ones who would be willing to live peacefully in Auradon, if given the chance. The ones who won’t try to take over the world, or burn it down in revenge. The ones who never deserved the Isle in the first place. You’re the Keeper of Souls, you’ll be able to see through even the best of liars.”

Her father raised an eyebrow. “I thought your Prince was working on that.”

Mal didn’t bother to object that Ben wasn’t ‘her’ Prince, especially since he technically was. “He is working on it, and on improving the Isle, but it’s very slow going and he has to fight his Council every step of the way. Some of them have softened, after Family Day, but I know the other VKs. The longer we’re here and they’re on the Isle, the more resentment and distrust will build, and the more they’ll fight with each other.”

Both gods inclined their heads in agreement. “You’re not wrong there, Mally. You want me to gather them, and as soon as the barrier breaks, to get them out of there.”

Mal nodded, slumping in relief. If her father said it out loud, it was almost as good as a promise. “Yes. I was hoping that Persephone could find somewhere safe to live…”

Her stepmother ran a hand over her hair. “Several places that were abandoned and can be restored, and my own temples, if I have to.”

* * *

The majority of Auradon Prep was subdued for a few days, then seemed to promptly forget about it as Coronation approached.

That left Mal in a semi-permanent bad mood, to the point that even Ben was cautious as he approached her two days before the event. Ben was perhaps the only person who didn’t deserve her ire, so Mal did her best to smile at him. “Hey, are you nervous for the big day?”

Ben smiled nervously back. “Well, I’ve been training toward this my whole life, so it’s not like it’s a surprise. I don’t feel ready, but I don’t suppose that anyone ever does.”

Mal reached out and patted his arm. “Well, I think that you’ll do a good job. Just remember that you’ll never please everyone, and that what’s right isn’t always what’s popular.”

He relaxed a little, which gave Mal and odd feeling of satisfaction. “Speaking of what’s right but probably won’t be popular… will you be my date for Coronation?”

Mal blinked in surprise. It wasn’t a terrible idea, and would show people that Ben was serious about his decree, but it might also fuel rumours of enchantment, which Audrey would no doubt take advantage of. Still, Auradon was going to have to get used to the idea of Mal as queen at some point, so she might as well lay the foundations. “All right. I’m sure Evie can fix something for me to wear.”

* * *

Evie did have a gown ready, and promptly took it off to make adjustments, while fretting about accessories. Mal briefly prayed that Evie wouldn’t be this bad all the way up to Coronation, and instantly regretted it when Persephone appeared. “What’s this about needing something fancier?”

Evie glanced over from where she was rummaging through her fabric stash. “Ben asked Mal to be his date to Coronation! The dress I made isn’t nearly suitable for that! She doesn’t even have any jewelry!”

Mal did not remotely trust the smile that spread across her step-mother’s face. “Well, that I can help with."

* * *

Mal’s dress was simple and flowing, a blue-purple silk with a shimmering gauze overlay that left her arms bare and showed just a hint of cleavage, accented by a pendant of a red-veined white flower, made of rubies and moonstone inlaid in silver. (Mal doubted that anyone would recognise it as an asphodel, or realise the symbolism). Her hair was swept up, held in place by obsidian pins and decorated with a discreet diadem of silver, set with amethysts and sapphires, her father’s Ember shard forming the centrepiece.

The jewels had been provided by Persephone, since Hades had domain over all the riches of the earth, and Hephaestus had a soft spot for the Queen of the Underworld. Mal still felt horribly over-dressed, but at least it wasn’t the lacy lavender ballgown that Evie had thought about and then discarded. She would have been lucky not to trip over the hem of that one and land flat on her face in front of the cameras.

Ben, at least, appreciated it, since he stared at her for almost a minute before he shook himself out of it and helped her into the carriage. “You look amazing.”

Mal certainly hoped so, because her nerves were back in full force as the horses began their procession through the cheering crowds toward the Celebration Hall. “Just be prepared for a lot of comments about how I don’t belong in your carriage.”

Ben smiled, raising her hand to his lips and lowering his voice. “Who better to be at my side than my betrothed and future queen?”

Well, Ben just joined the very short list of people who had managed to surprise, shock or otherwise startle Mal. How had he found out? Had he told anyone else? She spluttered briefly as she tried to ask several questions at once, finally settling on “What?”

His smile broadened into something very near an Isle-worthy smirk, and damnit, did he have to make it so easy to fall in love with him? “I figured it out when you cast the spell on Family Day. I don’t think anyone else has, and I haven’t told them, but I didn’t want to lie to you.”

Mal’s father had spoken of the love he bore her step-mother, the times they had been alone in his cavern, and Mal had seen it in the way that they met at the barrier every spring and autumn. Ben inspired the same warm feeling of home and safety that Evie and the boys did. Was that love? Mal didn’t know. “Thank you for that.”

Ben toyed with the ring he wore, engraved with the sigil of the Beast. “Is it too soon to ask that you wear my ring?”

A small part of Mal recoiled at the idea of wearing anything of the Beast-King who had caused her and her friends so much suffering. She shook her head, “As far as anyone else knows, Coronation is our first date. Perhaps we should break it to them gently, first.”

Ben inclined his head briefly in agreement, and then the carriage was stopping, and a footman was stepping forward to help them down.

It was time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is Coronation, and there's a lot of stuff that happens then, so I figured it would be best to split it into two chapters.  
I'll try to get it up soon, but I'm an Essential Worker doing between 30 and 50 hours a week, so no promises.


	8. Coronation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coronation goes well, until it doesn't...

Mal had spoken to her gang earlier that morning, warning them to be ready for disaster, but to stay in their seats until it happened. The last thing any of them needed was for Queen Leah or any like-minded moron to start throwing accusations (again). Whatever happened, would happen.

* * *

The Coronation started smoothly, and continued as such right up until Fairy Godmother finished crowning Ben with her wand. There was an odd sense of pride welling up in her chest as Mal watched her betrothed swear to govern fairly and without favour. He meant it, too. Ben was already determined to do a better job as King than his father had.

Then a hand reached out, grasping and desperate, and snatched the wand.

Mal watched, her heart in her throat, as the older fae gasped, “Child, what are you doing?”

Jane was crying, her face twisted in fear and grief. “I don’t want to die! All the books say that I’ll blow myself up if I can’t use my magic! I can already feel it burning inside me!”

Jane was right (Mal had hoped to get through Coronation, when she would have a more sympathetic King to persuade into some Common Sense magic-related legislation, before Jane figured that part out), but a powerful artefact like a Fairy Godmother’s wand was the absolute worst place to start. Even if Jane did manage to control it…

Mal lunged forward, dodging Ben’s instinctive move to protect her, as a bolt of raw power surged from the wand, fighting Jane’s control of it. Up in the gallery, she saw her friends running down join her. Focussing as hard as she could on her desire to get the wand back to it’s rightful owner – she certainly didn’t want the wretched thing lashing out at _her_ – Mal wrested the wand from Jane’s grasp. “Reach for your power, Jane, and hold it. That will do for now.”

Jane didn’t need to do much with her magic, since she was still a child by fae standards, but it had been suppressed so long… Please, _please_, let the wand’s discharge not have gravitated to the _other_ people yearning for freedom!

Cruel laughter echoed in Mal’s enhanced hearing, distant but rapidly closing in.

Mal turned white, throwing the wand back to Fairy Godmother. “The Barrier! It’s been fractured! You need to fix it!”

Too late. “Betrayal, Mal? How disappointing, I thought I’d taught you better than that.”

* * *

Mal staggered back, her mind blanking in terror. She’d heard those words once before, right before Maleficent had killed her younger half-brother. She had wanted a child that was hers in truth, not just a stand-in until Hades could claim her, and then Mallus had turned out a Disappointment, fled to the protection of the Docks and the Pirates… until Maleficent had sent her goons to bring him back. She’d forced Mal to watch.

Everyone else in the chapel was frozen in place, as if turned to stone. Jay and Evie and Carlos were halfway down the carpet to where Mal stood, their fear for her safety frozen on their immobile faces. If her friends got involved, Maleficent would make her watch while she killed them, too. A tiny part of her cried out for someone, anyone, to save her.

A burst of magic came from Maleficent’s staff, and Mal stood her ground, knowing that to dodge would be to expose a helpless Ben to her mother’s wrath. She closed her eyes… and opened them when nothing happened.

An impossibly-tall figure, the vibrant blue of a clear summer sky, crowned with asphodel flowers, stood between them, one hand raised. Maleficent’s spell floated above it, harmless, as Persephone, Iron Queen of the Underworld, levelled a glare at the Dark Fae. Closing her fingers around the ball of green fire, the spell dissipated. “Back off, or I’ll make you regret it.”

Behind Maleficent, sulphur-blue flames erupted from the ground, and a grey-skinned figure emerged, blue hair transformed to vivid flames for the first time Mal had seen. “Touch my daughter, and you’ll be back in Tartarus before you can blink.”

Even physically frozen, the hall erupted in whispers that would have been shouts if they’d been able to move their vocal chords more. Well, the ones who hadn’t figured it out on family day would have needed to be told at some point, and now was as good a time as any.

Leaving Mal’s mother to the parents who loved her was probably the best plan. Instead, Mal wove a shield, fuelled by love and the desire to protect and the divine power she hadn’t dared claim until now. Her hair flew out behind her like an invisible wind, purple flames dancing through the locks in an undeniable statement of her heritage.

Maleficent screamed in rage, and the shield snapped into place just in time, enclosing the Mistress of Evil with the two Olympians, and Mal herself. Mal really hoped that she survived the next few minutes; it would suck for Ben to have to retrieve her from the underworld, even if Mal suspected that her father would be a lot easier to persuade on that front than he had been with Megara or Orpheus.

Maleficent turned wrathful eyes on her daughter, and Hades raised his hand. “I made a mistake, seventeen years ago. I’m fixing it.”

* * *

Maleficent vanished, and the room unfroze. Mal turned just in time to stop Ben from lunging forward with a roar. “It’s all right; she’s gone.”

Ben spotted Mal’s father, arms folded and sardonic eyebrow raised, and paled for a moment before he drew himself upright and inclined his head respectfully. Hades’s eyebrow lowered. “Hm, you may actually be worthy. You’re already doing a better job than your father did, at least.”

Ben didn’t answer, glancing swiftly at said parent, who looked rather more pale than his son, and tried to cover it with bravado. “Why did you lie about your daughter?”

Hades’s expression turned notably colder. “To protect her, obviously. Anyway, the Villains who richly deserved the Isle are back in the Underworld, and therefore my problem again. Your Majesty can sort out how to rehabilitate the abused and abandoned children who remain. Daughter, we will speak soon, but for the moment I have a lot of work that cannot wait for social niceties.”

Mal nodded, and hugged him tightly. “Does Skype work in the Underworld?”

Persephone laughed, “No, I disconnected it when Mother wouldn’t stop trying to track me down. There is a vision pool, though, and we can communicate that way.”

The Goddess’s eyes widened, and she gripped her husband’s hand, both of them vanishing moments before a green-skinned figure, crowned with what looked like a fern, appeared. “Where’s Persephone.”

Mal recognised her step-grandmother by description. “Back in the Underworld. I’ll let her know you were looking for her next time I talk to them.”

Demeter scowled. “When will that be?”

Mal considered the question. “Not for at least a few days. They’ve been apart, and faithful, for sixteen years. I expect a very athletic reunion is taking place.”

The Goddess of the Harvest turned a very interesting brown that, on a human, would probably be an outraged purple, and vanished. Jay made a sound that was very close to a snigger. Ben reached out, taking her hand. “Is now a good time for that announcement?”

The funny tingling filled her again, but there was a weight behind it. Mal didn’t care; with the support of her father and her… her love, she could endure anything. “The cameras are still rolling; we might as well get all the heart attacks over with at once.”

Ben didn’t let go as they turned to face the assembled crowd, only a few of whom had gracefully swooned somewhere along the way. “My people! I present to you my betrothed and future queen, Mal!”

Audrey looked ready to shriek something in fury, but was quickly hushed by the people around her. No one seemed inclined to protest, and even the Beast-King appeared to have grasped the value of discretion. Ben turned to her, a question in his eyes.

Mal smiled and raised herself up on tiptoe, her lips brushing softly against his as, finally, they sealed the promise of her birth with a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, we finally got there!  
I'm undecided on whether to continute, or just finish with an epilogue. Let me know in the comments what you guys think!
> 
> Also, I have a bunch of new and newly updated stories, in the Star Wars, Harry Potter, Little Women and Downton Abbey fandoms. If any of those interest you, please go check them out!

**Author's Note:**

> Just the prologue for now.  
I'm not totally sure where this is going, but it's likely to be somewhat darker than Turning Points or Stand By Your Friends. I'll add the relevant tags as they become necessary.


End file.
